Turkish Delight
by Isabella Rain
Summary: When Rose is forced to choose between her future as a guardian and protecting Dimitri, she is forced to leave her life behind. Five years later, the star-crossed lovers meet once again. In the midst of political change can Rose and Dimitri's love survive? Or will the past year them apart? Romitri. Collab Project with AriaBelikov.
1. I'll Just Take My Leave Now

**Hey guys! IsabellaRain and AriaBelikov here! Our new collaboration project, Turkish Delight, has arrived! We hope you will enjoy as we have put a lot of time and effort into making it the best we can, and then some. **

**Summary: When Rose is forced to choose between her future as a Guardian and protecting Dimitri, she is forced to leave her life behind. Five years later, the star-crossed lovers meet once again. In the midst of political change can Rose and Dimitri's love survive? Or will the past year them apart?**

**Turkish Delight**

The echoes of the St. Vladimir attacks were still around campus. Even though it had been a month, people were still on edge. The royals were here far more often and it felt like we were gaining and losing guardians everyday.

Dimitri didn't care about that though. He still had me training everyday, harder than before. Didn't he realize I had staked more Strigoi than they could count? I smiled as I headed toward the gym. Training was an excuse to be around Dimitri, since the cabin we had hardly had time to be alone.

Today was supposed to be different, though. Last night after we finished practice, Dimitri had asked me to clear a bit of time after practice today. He said he'd have a little bit of time so we could spend some time together. A shiver of anticipation ran through me and I picked up my pace.

As I crossed the quad, I saw Stan and Alberta talking. I was curious, but I was more excited about what was to come after practice that I kept moving. When I was within earshot, though, I heard Alberta say Dimitri's name and I came to a quick halt, taking cover behind some bushes so that I wouldn't be seen.

"It's terrible what happened to Prince Badica's guardian, but it will at least mean he'll see more action. It must be quite dull for a Guardian as young as him to be stuck somewhere like the Academy. His skills are too valuable for us to keep him here until the Princess is due to go to Court, and Prince Badica needs him more. He's in a high risk area and he has already shown that he could use the reinforcements up there." Alberta said, seeming troubled, but it had been no secret that Prince Badica had relocated to Prague in order to settle some diplomatic problems and had had some problems with the Strigoi population there.

"It's a rare honor to have a Prince request you specifically, especially someone as powerful as Prince Badica. Guardian Belikov will be well looked after there." Stan sounded pleased and a bit proud. My stomach was twisting uncomfortably from what I was hearing. Dimitri was getting sent away?

"When does he ship off?" Stan asked.

"In about a week, the Prince wants to get his numbers replenished quickly so there aren't any weak points in their defenses." Alberta was nonchalant about what she was saying. "It'll be a pity for Rose, though, she's become much more responsible since he started mentoring her."

Stan scoffed. "She's still bullheaded though. If she'd stop running off every chance she got, she'd be much better off. Besides, she's already proven herself skilled. There's not much more Belikov could do to help-"

I wasn't listening anymore; I pushed away from the bush and sprinted to the gym, not caring if they heard me. I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. Why hadn't Dimitri told me? Leaving in a week? I felt sick. He couldn't leave me, not after everything we'd been through. The attack had almost ripped him away from me, I wasn't going to have some stupid Prince take him now.

I pushed the doors to the gym open with more force than I intended to and stopped when I saw Dimitri in the middle of the floor waiting for me. His normal, calm guardian face looking at me. "You're late." He said, but I could see the small hint of a smile tugging at his lips. My resolve faltered. I couldn't confront him about it now. Not when his eyes made me want to melt.

"Shall we begin, Comrade?" I said in my usual tone. I didn't want him to know that I was upset. I just wanted to train and maybe I'd ask him once we were alone. Then he could tell me I had heard wrong, that there was no way he was being sent away.

Halfway through practice though, I couldn't take it any longer. We were in the middle of throwing punches and practicing blocking when, for some unknown reason, I cracked. "When were you going to tell me you were being reassigned?" He faltered and I slammed my fist into his side through the opening.

He quickly composed himself. "Where did you hear that from?" He pushed hard against me, trying to fake me out. He failed though.

"Stan and Alberta. When were you going to tell me?" I was getting frustrated now. He wasn't denying it like I thought he would.

"I wasn't. It's not important, Rose. I haven't even accepted it yet. I get offers all of the time." I fumbled and he managed to get a hard swing into my shoulder. Shit that hurt.

"Not important!" I dropped my arms and stepped away from him. "You've just been asked to guard a Prince who requested you specifically and you didn't think that was something you should bring up? You leave in a week, Dimitri!"

"Rose, I haven't accepted the offer." I thought I saw a flicker of annoyance flash through his brown eyes, and it set me off further.

"But you haven't refused it either. God, Dimitri how could you do this!" I slammed my palms against his chest in frustration, but he was hard steel under my hands. I lashed out to punch him but I instantly felt myself floating for a brief second before I was slammed harshly into the mat.

"Rose!" I could hear the frustration in his voice now. "You are acting like a child! Grow up." I stared up at his tall frame looking down at me, his face was shadowed but I knew he had his guardian mask up and firmly in place.

I kicked at his legs, setting him off balance, and as he stabilized himself, I ran out of the gym. "Rose!" He called after me, but I wasn't going to stop. I didn't want to see him.

I hadn't made it fifty feet from the gym when two of the newer guardians on campus approached me. "Rose Hathaway?" I looked up at them. I didn't have time for this.

"Who's asking?" I eyed them suspiciously and tensed, ready for a fight if it came to one. They looked between each other and stepped back a small step, it was to show me they weren't a threat. They obviously knew my reputation.

"We were sent by Headmistress Kirova, you're wanted in her office." Yep, I was in trouble. I nodded and walked ahead of them. I knew where I was going.

On the walk over, I pondered what I had done to deserve two guardians to escort me. I couldn't remember having done anything. Overall, I had been pretty quiet since the attack.

When we entered her office, she stood from her large mahogany desk that she was sitting at. "Thank you Guardians. That is all." I turned to leave with them. Hey, she'd said guardians. "Not you, Miss Hathaway." She barked.

"It was worth a try." I shot back at her with a dazzling smile. She gave me a glowering look.

"Sit down." She was being short with me; I seriously must have messed up. I sat down in the uncomfortable wooden chair in front of her that I had found myself in many times over my time at St. Vladimir's.

"I'm going to make this quick." She glared down at me with a cold look in her eyes. She seriously had an axe to grind with me, but I couldn't understand why. I had a feeling she was going to tell me though. "What is your relationship with Guardian Belikov, Miss Hathaway?"

I balked. That wasn't what I was expecting. "Well, it's been on and off since I came to the campus. You know, we always ended it when I ran off to save lives." The headmistress eyed me suspiciously. "Oh, I thought you meant our mentor-trainee relationship. Because," I leaned forward to drive my point home, "that's the only relationship we have."

Completely unimpressed, she grabbed a pile of papers from behind her and slammed them down inches in front of me. There was a name written across the top of them – Dimitri Belikov. "You aren't fooling anyone Rose. Now, you're going to tell the truth or I'm going to fire Guardian Belikov. You know what that means, don't you? He'll lose his job and he'll probably go to prison for statutory rape."

I kept a neutral guardian face, even though inside I was shaking. "You're bluffing."

She narrowed her eyes at me and leaned forward on her hands. "Try me."

I looked over at the papers sitting in front of me and realized they weren't just papers to fire Dimitri, no, they were papers to eliminate him as a guardian. He would no longer be able to work as a guardian for the rest of his life with this. I felt as if I'd been doused in cold water.

"Alright." I said slowly, sitting back. "We have a relationship, but I instigated it." I couldn't let Dimitri lose his career over me. It was everything to him to be a guardian. How could I ever face him if I was the cause of him losing all of that? Plus, he was the best of us and the Moroi needed him more than I did. No matter how much I hated to admit it. "I pushed and pushed until he finally gave into me."

"That's what I thought." She smiled a cold menacing smile. She looked like I had just made her day, no, like Christmas had just come early. She slid another piece of paper in front of me, but it was already signed and sealed.

My heart hit the floor. There was one word written across the top. Expulsion. I was being expelled from St. Vladimir's. "You can't do this! Trials are in a few months!"

The Headmistress laughed. "Yes, Rose, I can. Do you know why? Because who are you going to tell? If you tell anyone that I expelled you for being with Dimitri they will crucify him for being involved with his student. He would be labeled as a pedophile and wouldn't be able to work jobs that involved teenagers or children. Let alone be allowed at Royal Court. So tell me Rose, what can't I do?"

I bit my lip. I had no smart retort for her. She had beaten me. I had no out from here.

I would never be able to guard Lissa. Would never see Dimitri again…

I wasn't going to cry in front of her. I stood up and headed toward the door without waiting for an official dismissal. My hand was on the door before she spoke again. "You have until the end of the day to leave the premises. If you don't, I will file this paperwork." She put her hand over Dimitri's printed name for emphasis.

I pulled the door open and left her office for the last time, slamming it behind me. The cold Montana air hit my lungs as I stepped out of the Administration building, but I was still boiling inside. I was pissed. Without any forethought, I spun around and punched the brick wall of the building as hard as I could.

There was a loud crack and a sickening wave of pain ran up my arm. Fuck. I clamped my mouth shut so I didn't scream. The pain numbed some of the anger I was feeling, but looking down at my quickly swelling hand informed me I had done more than relieve the pent up anger I felt.

The sterile white walls and the smell of antibacterial cleaner hit my nose as I walked into Dr. Olendzki's clinic. She looked up at me from the computer she was typing at, her swivel stool squeaking as she did. One glace at my hand and she groaned. "Again Rose?"

I nodded sheepishly. I was one of her frequent fliers, especially since I started training under Dimitri. She led me over to a chair and poked my knuckles, causing me to emit a hiss. "You did a pretty good break here, Rose. It's going to need to be splinted for a few weeks. Now, you know the drill."

I rolled my eyes with a small smile. I was going to miss this. "No, I'm not depressed. As far as I'm aware I'm healthy. You see me so often for small breaks and bruises that I think you know that."

She laughed. "Since we're going to do an X-ray, I have one last question. I already know the answer to it, but I have to ask anyways. Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

I shook my head automatically, but the question got me to thinking. When was my last period? I counted back four weeks and realized I hadn't had one since before the cabin. Six – seven weeks ago. I was stressed, that was normal, right? To miss your period when you're stressed? The doctor said something to me, but I missed it so I just nodded.

She left me alone in the exam room and I looked around it while I processed what I was just beginning to realize. I couldn't be pregnant. It was impossible, right? I'd only slept with Dimitri, and Dhampirs were infertile when they paired with each other. I heard the shuffling of feet down the hall and quickly stood up and went into the cabinet above me. I knew Dr. Olendzki kept pregnancy tests there because she had given one to a Moroi girl who was notorious for sleeping around the last time I was in here.

I stared at the little blue and white box for longer than I should have, contemplating whether or not I was acting rationally. The sound of Dr. Olendzki heading back toward the room made my decision for me. I grabbed one and shoved it into my hoodie pocket then quickly sat back down as she walked in.

"The X-Ray room is ready for you Rose." She smiled warmly at me.

"Is there anyway I can just splint it without the X-Ray, doc? I'll just have Lissa heal me when I get out of here." In reality, I just didn't want to risk the X-Ray in case I was pregnant. The doctor eyed me suspiciously then nodded.

"That's fine. I wondered why you didn't just go to her first honestly. It looks like it's just a small fracture." Her eyes crinkled at the corners. God, I was really going to miss her.

After Dr. Olendzki splinted me, I stood up to leave, but I paused right before I left. My heart hurt from the thought of never seeing her again. She had been my healer my whole life and scolded me for acting out. I never expected to feel this way, but I just felt really upset about it. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Dr. Olendzki." I left without waiting to hear what she had to say, the little bell on her door chiming as I left.

I had never been so nervous to be in my dorms' bathroom. My splinted hand throbbed, but I couldn't think too much on it now. I went to the toilet and unboxed the test. I followed the instructions and then came out and waited.

Three minutes was too long.

I washed my hands for the longest I had ever done before then paced up and down next to the window that looked out onto the woods. In the distance, I could see the cabin where all of this started.

Finally, the test started to change colors. My heart clenched in my chest as I watched two pink lines show up. Positive.

Fuck.

I was pregnant with an impossible child that rivaled the virgin birth of Jesus.

The next thought that ran through my head was to go to Dimitri. It was his child, but it wasn't an option. Dimitri wanted children. He loved them and had mentioned to me before that he always wished he could have one. He would give up his whole career to make sure it was taken care of and loved. Also, Kirova would follow through with her threat if I didn't leave.

It was one thing for him to take a break from being a guardian; it was another for him to be barred from being one. I couldn't let him, or force him, to give up everything because of me. Even if I was pregnant, I had to protect him.

I plopped to the floor under the window and felt my cellphone press against my butt painfully. I pulled it out of my pocket uncoordinatedly with my left hand and cradled it in my palm.

I flipped through it absentmindedly and ended up in the contacts. As I flicked through them, I came across a name I never called. I hovered my finger over it debating whether it was a good idea, but where else could I turn?

It rang a few times before a female voice rang through the line. "Guardian Hathaway."

"Mom?" My voice cracked. I didn't realize how relieved I was to hear her voice. "Mom, I messed up."

The line went quiet for a few seconds. When she responded, she didn't sound angry. Huh, I guess I had earned some leeway after the Academy attack. "What happened?"

Without taking a breath, I told her everything that had happened. About Dimitri and the expulsion and how terrified I was that I would never get my promised mark. I was almost in hysterics by the time I finished telling her. I heard her take a deep breath.

"Wow. I wasn't expecting that. So, you were expelled because of your relationship with your mentor? The headmistress can't do that, Rose. This isn't the end." My mom sounded calmer than I thought she would.

"Mom, I won't be able to guard Lissa. I'll never get to guard anyone. I'll never get to be a guardian." I was in hysterics now. My mom had never heard me like this before.

"Rose, calm down. As pissed as I am that your mentor had a relationship with you, I'm more upset with the fact Kirova kicked you out over it and threatened you with Guardian Belikov's termination. I can keep you in school, Rose. So take a deep breath and get yourself together. We can fi-"

"Mom, I'm pregnant." I said softly. She stopped speaking suddenly and I could hear her brain piecing together all of the information I'd given her tonight. "I don't know what to do Mom."

"It is Dimitri's, isn't it?" Mom's voice was very quiet and calm, almost sickeningly so.

"Yes. I don't know how, but it is." I covered my mouth with trembling fingers. I needed to get myself under control.

"Stay at the Academy and wait for my phone call. I'll have you out of there in a few hours." We didn't say goodbye we just hung up. I had used all of my motherly love tokens for the year.

I stayed on the floor for a few more minutes, trying to get myself under control. With a deep breath, I finally pushed myself with a shaking hand and put the pregnancy test back in the box and hid it at the bottom of the trashcan inside of a tampon box. Ironic, no?

I picked my phone back up and called Lissa. "Meet me in my room." I said softly and hung up. I wasn't in the mood for explanations. I felt a pang of worry through the bond from her and knew she was on her way over.

I had already begun packing by the time she knocked on the door. "Come in." I called out to her. Her eyes were wide when she came into the room and saw my suitcase. My chest clenched painfully at the horror in her jade eyes. Her blond hair made her look like an angel I'd just wronged.

"Rose, what are you doing? You can't run off again. Not without me you can't." I looked at her sadly and stopped my fidgety packing so that I could hug her.

"I have to Lissa, but not because I want to." I launched into everything that had happened, just like I had with my mother. She was very surprised when I came to the bit about Dimitri and I, but she kept her composure brilliantly. She even gasped when I told her about why I had fought with him. When I finished, she pulled me into a hug and I buried my face into her hair. She smelt so good.

I felt the anger over the bond. "I'll take care of Kirova, Rose. I have some sway with the Royals and with my family's donation to the sch-."

I stopped her the same way I stopped my mother. "Lissa, it's no use. I'm pregnant."

She balked visibly. She was clearly taken aback and was trying to process the information. She opened her mouth to say something a few times, but always stopped. There was no mention of who the father was; she had pieced it together just like my mother had. When she didn't say anything I took her hand, "I'll be fine, Lissa. You just need to take care of yourself. I'll keep in touch and you know I'll always be there for you." I wiped away the tears on her cheek and smiled. "Besides, we'll always have the bond."

She whispered softly, "This means you can't be my guardian."

I felt I should be angry that that was her first concern, but instead I just smiled at her softly. I would always protect her over myself. "It'll be okay, Lissa." I felt my stomach sink again, just like it had when I had realized the same thing. I leaned forward and hugged her and she clung to me like she had so many times before. "We'll always be close, you know that right? Just because I'm not your guardian doesn't mean we can't be close."

She nodded, but I felt the sobs come up from her chest. Neither one of us had ever considered this a possibility nor did I really want it to be now. To be honest though, I couldn't see a way out.

When we pulled away form each other, I lifted my hands to cup her face and she realized I had the splint for the first time. "Rose, what did you do to your hand?" She laughed, it evaporated the tenseness of the room.

"I thought if I punched the wall hard enough, Kirova might feel it." I swung my splinted arm casually and we both laughed. Gently, she took my splinted hand and ran her fingers over it. I felt the magic flare through her and then into me.

I pulled the splint off and flexed my fingers attentively. No pain. "Thanks Lissa."

She smiled at me. "No problems."

An hour later, we were both sitting on my bare bed looking at the empty room around us. My single bag sat at our feet. We talked about the memories we shared at the Academy and laughed at all of the fun times we'd had. It was totally cliché, but sometimes cliché is nice.

My phone finally rang at four a.m., afternoon for the Moroi world. I checked the caller id, it was my Mom. "Go to the quad." She didn't give me a chance to say anything before she hung up.

Confused, I grabbed my bag and took Lissa's hand. As soon as I opened the door that led to the quad, I was met with the sound of helicopter rotors. "What the…" Lissa and I exchanged a confused look as a jet-black helicopter landed on the quad that often doubled as a landing pad.

I looked around us and realized we had drawn quite a crowd. "I always did love going out in style." I murmured.

A tall man with a dark braided goatee and a fancy suit stepped out of the helicopter. He had a pink and blue striped scarf around his neck that stood in sharp contrast to the rest of him. He looked around and saw me standing there with my bag in my hand.

He smiled broadly and started toward me. There was something comical about the fact a Moroi that looked like a mob boss was headed toward me, one that my mother had obviously summoned. This was an exit and a half, I thought to myself.

I stepped toward him and looked up at him when we were close enough to hear each other over the rotors. Thankfully, no one else watching could hear. "You must be Rose." He had a serious expression on his face, but it wasn't threatening. "I'm Ibrahim Mazur. I know you don't know me and I haven't been actively involved in your life, but that's about to change. Rose, I'm your father and I'm going to make sure that you and your child are going to be taken care of."

For the first time in my life, I was left speechless.

"Did my mother send you?" I asked once I composed my thoughts.

"Yes, but you can ask me everything once we're in the air. We need to get out of here." One of his guardians took my bag from my hand and Abe looked at it. "Really? Is that all you've got?" He chuckled to himself. "You don't get that from me."

I looked at him. Well, at least I now knew where my sense of humor came from. Ignoring him, I turned around and hugged Lissa. She looked worried by the man who stood in front of me. "I'll be alright Lissa." I whispered, well shouted, into her ear. The truth of the matter was, I was a bit nervous about him too, but I had no reason not to trust him. My mother wouldn't send someone to get me if she didn't trust them, and she didn't trust many people.

Lissa and I exchanged our goodbyes and I took Abe's outstretched hand. He led me to the helicopter, and as I boarded, I took one last look around the campus. I was shocked to see the number of people who were watching had doubled. As I ran my eyes over the Administration building, I saw a sight I had always wanted to see. In the door, Headmistress Kirova stood there with a pale, frightened look and she was looking right at the dark haired Moroi that had my hand.

Once the door was shut and I was buckled in, I looked over at the man who was getting me out of the Academy. "Looks like you've made quite an impression on the Headmistress." I said looking out the window. I was just beginning to realize how powerful of a Moroi my father was.

He laughed, a devil of a smirk on his lips. "Well, they've just lost most of their funding. I'd be scared too if I was her."

**Don't forget to review!**


	2. Ghosts

**A/N: Hey guys! AriaBelikov and I would like to just say thank you for your incredible response to the first chapter! We're glad you are liking the story so far! **

**We've got some twists and surprises in store in the next couple chapters and we're excited to hear what you think of them! **

**Thanks again, and ENJOY~**

**Ghosts**

**Dimitri's POV**

In the last five years, it felt as if everything had changed. Lissa had become Queen and Rose was still MIA, but no one seemed to care about the latter. I had gotten to travel the world with Lissa as her personal guardian, attending functions and establishing connections so that she could better our world. So far, she was the most loved Queen in history. She had done amazing work with both the Moroi and the Dhampirs; the steady rise in our population was proof of it. Everyday, I thought about how proud Rose would be of our Queen if she was here.

Today, we were in Turkey at the Ottoman Court, which was located in the Dolmabahce Palace in the heart of Istanbul, for an important Council meeting with the Asian-European Moroi. It was my first time here, but Lissa had come over a few years ago to tend to some business. She had forced me to take vacation around then, which I had been quite sour about.

As I walked through the halls of the Palace looking for the Reception Room that was attached to the Council Room, I marveled at my surroundings. The historic beauty of the place rivaled that of St. Petersburg. I wasn't tasked with looking at that though, I had to find the Guest of Honor for the night's meeting. Normally, Lissa told me who I was to find, but when I had volunteered to inform the guest of her arrival she had looked slightly worried. I couldn't understand why, but it made me more eager to go.

As I approached the Reception room, I could hear the sound of a raised voice coming from down the hall. I quickened my approach, afraid there was a disturbance with our Guest. When I was right outside of the room, I recognized the voice and my heart pounded harder in my chest. The shouts increased in volume as I entered the room and I saw a tall man with a raised hand about to strike the much smaller woman in front of him. Without hesitation, I stepped forward and grabbed his arm.

My father, Nikolai Roman Badica, spun on me, his face filled with anger and surprise. I didn't look to see who the woman he was about to hit was because I was too fixated on the ghost that stood in front of me. I squeezed my hand tighter around his arm as recognition filled both of our faces.

The Royal glared at me after a moment and ripped his arm away. "You don't know what you're protecting. She may look like an innocent flower waiting to be plucked, but in reality she is a viper waiting to poison anything she touches." He said spitefully as he turned and left the room. I watched him walk away, my mind catching on his use of the word flower. Before I had time to contemplate it more though, I heard a soft voice speak behind me.

"Still protecting the innocent I see, Comrade." My heart froze in my chest at the old endearment. Slowly, I turned and faced my second ghost of the morning. Before me stood the woman I thought was gone forever.

"Rose." I exhaled.

My eyes roamed over her, taking in her changed appearance. She looked the same physically, but the air around her was different. She held herself like royalty and wore her hair in an elaborate bun instead of loose, but I could tell she hadn't cut it since I had last seen her. Her days of jeans and t-shirts were gone, instead she wore a tailored woman's pantsuit that still had the feel of a guardian's uniform. The ¾ sleeves showing her tanned arms, and the low fastening buttons accentuating her curves. The only reminiscence of her old self hung below her collarbone, her nazer.

"Long time no see, Comrade." She said with a warm smile. I was completely taken aback by her and I could feel the familiar pain from the past rising up inside of me.

"What are you doing here?" I wasn't able to process what was happening right now. I felt like I wanted to hold her and shake her all at once.

"I live here." She had an amused smile on her lips that made my blood boil. She didn't even bother to ask what I was doing here, somehow she already knew. Like a defense mechanism kicking into place, I assumed my guardian position.

"Where is the Guest of Honor?" I asked, fighting back the urge to reach out and touch her to see if she was real.

"Lissa didn't tell you?" She asked me, her signature smirk rising to her lips.

"Tell me what?" I was starting to feel annoyed and tense. That look never led to anything good.

Rose laughed softly and touched her nazer absentmindedly. "I'm her. I'm the Guest of Honor at tonight's meeting." I blanched, confusion running rampant through my mind.

Instead of questioning her like every fiber of being screamed out to do, I kept my closed off guardian persona in place. "I am to tell you that Queen Dragomir has arrived. She is to meet you here in a few minutes." She turned her necklace over in her fingers and smiled at me politely, nodding.

"I'll be here." She said.

I couldn't look at her face anymore. How could she be so nonchalant about seeing me? Didn't she feel the same way I felt? I turned on my heel and walked away, but as I did I murmured something barely audible in Russian.

I stopped just outside of the door and leaned my forehead against the wall, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart and the sick feeling rising inside of me. I needed to compose myself before I faced the Queen, she couldn't know how much seeing Rose affected me. Rose was different, she had surpassed everything I had taught her, but that wasn't what bothered me. Hell, I was even proud she had grown up so well. No, I was bothered by the fact that she hadn't bothered to contact me. I could handle not hearing from her when I thought she was off in some remote part of the world fighting Strigoi, but knowing that she was living in the lap of luxury and still hadn't bothered to contact me was like being staked.

Relief and betrayal warred inside of me as I thought of her standing there. The rejection of five years ago felt as fresh as the day she had left. There was a large hole in my chest as I thought about my Roza. She was gone now, leaving a stranger in her place.

**Rose's POV**

I sunk unsteadily into the overstuffed ornate chair behind me as I watched him walk away. His Russian words a slap in the face. "Are you sure?" He had said spitefully. He had no way of knowing that I spoke Russian now, no way of knowing that I understood every word he had murmured.

I took deep breaths to try to steady myself. I had known he was coming today with Lissa as part of her Queen's escort, but I wasn't prepared to face him. I thought I could handle it, but the cold demeanor he had shown me in Oregon when he collected Lissa and I was back. He was in God mode, closed off and distant.

The familiar fingers of guilt wrapped around my heart as I thought of his face. I had seen the flicker of the feelings we once shared pass through his eyes before he had slammed his guardian mask in place. It was the only way to shield ourselves from the pain, wasn't it?

The sound of footsteps pulled me to my feet and I straightened my jacket absently. It would be Lissa's entourage approaching the door. I had to be the face of the perfect Guardian now.

She was the first thing I saw. Her golden hair a shining halo under her crown. We locked eyes and forced ourselves not to smile like schoolgirls. I could feel the waves of her happiness washing over me through the bond, mimicking the same thing I felt. It had been two long years since we had seen each other, and our reunion was long overdue. I stepped forward toward her and the guardians flanking her as she started to come into the room.

Lissa turned to her two guardians, but looked pointedly at Dimitri. "Please stand watch outside of the door, Guardians Belikov and Smith."

Dimitri stiffened beside her at the idea of leaving her unprotected and, for the first time, I heard him challenge an order. "You cannot be in there alone, Your Majesty." Lissa was caught off guard by Dimitri's unusual insubordination and I could feel her surprise through the bond.

"I will not be alone, Guardian Belikov." She said with her usual smile, hiding her feelings. "Guardian Mazur will be with me, and she is more than capable."

It was Dimitri's turn to be surprised. I could tell from the look on his face that he hadn't been aware I had changed my last name to match my father's. He opened his mouth to protest again, but I cut him off.

"Guardian Belikov, your Queen has given you an order. You would be wise to follow it." I gave him the stern look that he had always given me before I opened my mouth and said something stupid. I saw the angry, embarrassed look pass over his face before he composed himself.

"I apologize, Your Majesty." He nodded and backed away, closing the doors behind Lissa as she entered the room.

Once the doors were firmly closed, Lissa turned to me and dropped her Queenly nature. We looked at each other and released our collectively held breaths. Even after what had just happened, she couldn't hide how happy she was to see me. Both our faces spread into wide smiles as we stepped toward each other. We erupted into a fit of giggles as we hugged each other close. "That was close." She said. "Sorry he came to find you first, I tried to send Guardian Smith but Dimitri volunteered."

I pulled away from her, my hands still on her forearms. "That's okay." I smiled warmly at her. "I think it was more of a shock for him than me. Thank you for the heads up." I tapped my temple and we exchanged a knowing smile.

**Dimitri's POV**

It was torture to stand outside of the Reception room waiting for the Queen to come out. She was on the other side of this door talking to Rose. I had realized when they saw each other that they had been in contact, the Queen had known where Rose was this whole time. My mind turned away from my duty, occupied instead with the events of the last hour. I now understood the Queen's worried look. She had known Rose would be who I found in that Reception room.

That hadn't been the strangest part though; Rose had changed her last name. She was Rose Mazur now, but why? I racked my brain trying to figure out why that name sounded so familiar when it hit me. I only knew one man with that name, and he was Turkish. The colour drained from my face as I recalled the powerful Moroi who often visited my village on sketchy business. Abe Mazur, the infamous Zmey.

The first thought I had was completely irrational. Rose must have married him or his son, but I was completely unaware of Zmey having any children. I could feel my fists trembling at my side, it took every ounce of willpower for me to remain where I stood and not barge into the room and demand answers from Rose and the Queen.

I pushed those thoughts aside for a moment and let my old feelings for Rose wash over my confusion. The last time I had seen Rose played through my mind, her running away from me the last memory I had of her. I should have stopped her. If I had known that was the last time I saw her, I wouldn't have yelled at her but pulled her close. She had taken my last words to her to heart. She wasn't a child anymore. I realized then that the last five years had shaped Rose into someone that I didn't recognize.

A commotion down the hall pulled me from my thoughts. Striding toward me with purpose was the devil himself, Zmey. He didn't even spare me a glance as he reached out to take the door handle to the Reception room. I grabbed his arm that was stretched out automatically. He looked at me with a blank expression. "What are you doing, boy?" I could feel the urge to fight him building inside of me at his words.

"You can't go in there, Queen Dragomir is in a meeting." I said, giving Abe a deadly look. There was no way I was going to allow Abe anywhere near the Queen. It seemed I was too late to stop him from getting to Rose.

"I can and I will go in there. Release me." He said with a deadly calm voice.

I hesitated for a moment. I had already tested my limits with insubordination for the day and I had no grounds to refuse entry to him. For all I knew, the Queen had summoned him there. Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I released him.

Zmey gave me a harsh look. "Watch yourself, Belikov." He warned me as he entered the room.

**Rose's POV**

A few hours later, the time had come. Lissa and I stood poised next to each at the entrance of the Council room, greeting the Royals, councilmen, and other attendees of the meeting. Everyone was buzzing about who the surprise guest could be, and Lissa and I occasionally shared a look of knowing when someone asked us about it. Most of the Royals had seen me before, but none of them said anything about my reputation.

I was whispering to Lissa about our speeches when Nikolai Roman Badica approached us. I fixed him with a brilliant smile, but he had eyes only for Lissa, which didn't surprise me. He was a complete suck up. He stopped in front of Lissa, gave her a low bow, and took her hand, kissing her ring that contained her family seal.

"Might I say you look absolutely stunning as always tonight, Your Majesty." He said, not even acknowledging my presence. I eyed him for the first time in a while, he was a tall, handsome man with dark blond hair, but there was a dark look in his eyes that put me on edge.

"You flatter me, Councilman Badica, but don't let my husband hear you say that." Lissa said with a polite smile. She glowed as she used her new title for Christian. They had been married almost six months now and I still wasn't used to hearing her refer to him that way.

I smiled knowingly at him and turned to Lissa. "You have to watch this one," I said lightly, "He'll try to hit you with his ideas."

A dark look passed over Nikolai's features as he looked at me, then he smiled and excused himself from Lissa, not even bothering to dignify me with a look. I knew I had struck a cord with him though from the way he had stiffened and dropped Lissa's hand.

**Dimitri's POV**

I watched from the wall for twenty minutes before the audience finally took their seats. Once they were all comfortable, Queen Lissa walked to the dais at the front of the room, Rose following her close behind. As I watched her take her seat in the ornate throne, I thought of all of the great nobility of the Ottoman Empire that had once graced the ground she stood on. Rose sat down in a less grand version of the throne that the Queen sat on, and, not for the first time tonight, I wondered what was going on. I positioned myself close behind the two seats so that I was close enough to intervene if there was any threat to the Queen.

When the room quieted, Lissa stood up and honed in on her air of royalty. She was magnificent as she addressed the crowd. Everyone was on the edge of their seats for her news. "Welcome Royals, Councilmen, Guardians, and Moroi, I know you are all wondering why we have gathered today. As you are well aware, there have been some changes made to our laws and amendments made to better include our Dhampir brethren." There is a murmur amongst the crowd. It was one of the first times they had heard a Moroi include the Dhampirs as equals. "In the past, we have viewed them as our protectors and nothing more, this has to change if we are to grow. That is why we are here today."

I watched Rose rise with an air of nobility from her chair. She looked regal in the long black dress that she had changed into, but I could see the tone of her muscles through the tight fabric, reminding me that she wasn't weak. She held her head high as the Moroi scrutinized her, confusion a common feature on them. I was confused as well, why was Rose up there at all? She hadn't been part of the Guardian world for five years. I would have heard about it if she had.

"I would like to present, Guardian Rosemarie Mazur who will be the Guardian Representative for the Ottoman Court. She is a Guardian who has proven herself to be a valuable asset to the protection of not only the Moroi, but also the Dhampirs. Her guidance and advice has proven invaluable in assisting our People. It is largely thanks to her that the Moroi Use of Magic Amendment was changed as she her experience at the Attacks of St. Vladimir's and St. Ahmed's provided invaluable insight into how Moroi can work along side their Guardians. Her ideas and guidance have also assisted in the rise of our populations as she has worked tirelessly with me to ensure the new laws and amendments are put into action."

I felt like I had been staked for the second time tonight. I paled as I looked to the woman I had loved walk toward her best friend, our Queen. As she crossed the dais, I saw her neck for the first time. Adorning her neck was the Promise Mark of the Guardians, but also two Zvezdas and multiple Molnija tattoos. I realized then why she had been chosen, but I couldn't wrap my head around where she had received her Promise Mark. She never took her Trials at the Academy, and all of the novices who Trial at other schools are placed on a register. Rose was never on that list.

Rose took her place next to Queen Lissa as if she was born to and then smiled at the crowd around her. She surprised me again with how much she had matured. The Rose from high school would never have been able to keep her composure in front of a crowd of Moroi. "Hello, I know this must be a surprise to the lot of you, considering my reputation. What you don't know, is that I have been working in the background along with our Queen to provide the best solution to all of the growing concerns of our People. I have been appointed to my position to look out for not only the interests of the Moroi, but the Dhampir population as well."

I looked out at the crowd and noticed for the first time that every Guardian in the room was watching her. It was the first time I had ever seen so many Guardians not watching their charges. I realized that they all respected Rose, but more than that, they trusted her. This was the first time in history that Dhampirs had a voice.

As Rose began to speak again, a guardian I had never seen before approached her and whispered in her ear. She stiffened unperceptively to someone not paying attention and turned to the crowd again. I couldn't see her face, but I could imagine a pale look it. "I apologize for this, but there has been an emergency that seeks my immediate attention. Lord Ivashkov, would you please accompany me."

Startled, I looked out at the crowd and saw the familiar features of a certain flippant Royal rising from his seat. He had a no nonsense look on his face that was all business as he stepped out of his aisle. Once Rose was past him, he followed behind her with an urgency I had never seen in him. When they were almost at the doors at the back, I saw Abe Mazur pull himself off of the wall and follow.

To keep all of the eyes in the room off of them, Lissa began addressing her people again, trying to cull the murmuring and gossip. I could feel the shift in the air around her, but I didn't know what it was that had caused it. I had never felt so confused and intrigued in my life.

What had happened in the last five years I had been absent from Rose's life?

**Don't forget to fill in that box over there! -**


	3. Sweet Child of Mine

**Sweet Child of Mine**

**Dimitri's POV**

I spent the last hour of the meeting distracted. I needed to get my head on straight, but I didn't see that happening anytime soon with Rose's sudden reemergence into my life. As soon as the meeting was over and Lissa was secured in her room, I set out to find Rose. Thankfully, one of the guardians had been kind enough to tell me where she was generally found when not in meetings.

When I found the door to her personal sitting room, I pushed it open without a second thought. I didn't bother knocking; I didn't have time for that. As I prepared myself for who I would find on the other side of the ornate door, a million different emotions swirled through me. Why did she still make me feel this way?

I caught my breath when I saw Rose inside. She was sitting on a plush couch that faced the door, her feet curled under her and her hair pulled loose, the long black dress she had been wearing at the meeting spilled around her knees. She looked up at me as I entered the room and I saw her catch her breath the same way I had. I was the last person she was expecting to see. "Dimitri." She said in surprise.

I stopped in my tracks, the door handle still in my hand. My chest tightened uncomfortably as I looked into her wide brown eyes. It hurt how much I still wanted her, but she was lost to me. I had to remind myself that I didn't know this woman who sat in front of me.

"Rose." I breathed. "I didn't know if I'd find you in here." My eyes ran over her as she drug her fingers through her long hair. God, how I wanted to bury my hands in it.

"Where else would I be?" She gave me a weary smile. She looked like she had just battled the demons of hell. "I take it Jackson told you where to find me?" She didn't sound annoyed but rather amused. I thought back to how kind the young guardian had been, but he didn't really have much choice with my hand on his throat.

I didn't respond to her, I was still too caught up in taking her in. She looked the same, but so different. I pulled myself out of my thoughts when she gestured toward the chair opposite her. "Sit down. Comrade." I know you've been on your feet all day. There's no danger here for you to fight." I looked at the chair and felt the familiar feelings of fatigue settle into me, the chair did look comfortable. I nodded slightly and took her offer. "Now, are you going to tell me what you're doing here or are you just going to stare at me all night?" I wished then that I had that option. I would stare at her forever if I could.

Something from the meeting came back to me, St. Ahmed's. "You were the Unpromised One from the Attack of St. Ahmed's, weren't you?" I asked, the words of the Turkish Moroi playing through my mind.

I saw Rose tense at my question, the ghosts of the past flickering momentarily in her eyes. She finally nodded, but she didn't add any more on the subject. I waited patiently, thinking that she might brag like she used to, but she never did. She didn't even offer me any details about the event.

I leaned forward and grabbed her hand. She turned her eyes toward me, surprised from the sudden contact. She didn't pull away from me, though. The first stanza of the Turkish man's legend ran through my mind, making my blood run cold as it really sank in that it was her.

_The night was joyous before they came._

_With pale skin and red eyes they appeared out of nowhere like a wave of death_

_Blood ran through our streets like a river we could not tame_

_But when she appeared we held our breath._

_With dark brown hair and the marks of a warrior,_

_The Unpromised one rose from the carnage like a blooming flower._

"Oh Roza." I lowered my forehead to her hand, my old endearment for her slipping past my lips. "What were you doing there? We lost most of our Old World Guardians in that attack, it could have easily been you." I looked up at her and brought my hands up to cup her face, moving onto my knees in front of her. I shouldn't be touching her, but I needed to feel that she was truly real and unharmed.

"Dimitri." She touched on of my hands cupping her face gently. Her fingers sending a shockwave through me. "It was five years ago." Her eyes flickered away from mine as she remembered. "It's in the past." She whispered. "I'm alive and well. There is no reason to dredge up the ghosts that are better left remembered."

I could see the pain in her eyes. How many guardians and Moroi had she seen die in front of her that day? I couldn't stomach to think how many of her comrades she had seen fall around her. For those of us who weren't there, it was just a battle that would grace the history books with the title 'Worst Strigoi Attack in Moroi History'. For Rose, it would be a nightmare she had lived through. St. Vladimir's had been bad, but St. Ahmed's had been worse.

I chastised myself for not realizing she was the woman from the legend earlier. I had been so focused on finding her that I had overlooked the obvious signs it was her. The legend spoke of the Unpromised having a bond and the marks of a warrior, all signs it was her. I had overlooked the man's tale though in my haste to find her. A few moments passed in silence as I ran my eyes over her face, she looked back at me and I was frustrated that I didn't know what she was thinking.

When she didn't pull away from me, I remembered what Lissa had called her. Mazur. I dropped my hands from my face and I thought I saw a look of hurt cross her face. I stood up and put the chair between us before I could do something reprehensible. "Congratulations." I looked away from her. I couldn't stomach to see her face as I thought of that man.

I could feel her eyes on me, but it was the surprise in her voice that made me look back to her. "For what?"

"Your wedding." I tensed as I felt a tidal wave of pain wash over me. Images of her and that man together flooded my mind.

Rose looked baffled as she tried to understand what I was saying. "Wedding?"

"To Mazur." Why did I have to tell her who she married? She had his last name, it was obvious. I was struggling enough with trying to congratulate her. Was she making me spell it out to torture me?

Her laugh threw me completely off guard.

The door behind me opened to reveal the man I had no intentions of ever meeting again. Abe Mazur. He stood as tall as I did and my heart clenched painfully as Rose looked up at him with a large smile.

"Baba, you will never believe what Guardian Belikov has just said." The intimidating Moroi didn't even spare me a glance. He looked straight at Rose with an endearing look. _Baba?_ I think to myself.

"What did the Russian say?" He asked, acknowledging me for the first time with a cold look. I prickled at what he called me.

I looked at her and was amazed at how brilliant her smile was. It confused me how funny she thought the situation was. She twirled a lock of her hair as she looked at Abe, sending him a flirtatious look. "He thinks we got married."

Just like Rose, Abe laughed heartily and clapped me on the shoulder. I was completely lost. Rose reigned herself in from laughing any more and looked at me amused. "Abe is my Father, Dimitri." I stared at her blankly. Father? "I changed my name shortly after leaving the Academy, for obvious reasons." I thought about the work Abe Mazur was known for and understood her point. It would have been a form of protection for her to share his name.

I remembered the time I was coming home from church as a child in Baia. It was a cold winter morning and the first flakes of snow were starting to fall. As I walked past one of the many alleys between houses, I saw my father was on his knees being held in front of a menacing Moroi by two hired guardians. Their grips were tight on his arms. I recognized the extravagantly dressed Moroi as Abe Mazur, I was frightened by the sight of him. I might not have liked my father, but the stories they told about what the Zmey had done to people were scarier.

I heard him crack his knuckles, but I didn't stick around to see what happened. As I ran home, I heard my father cry out but I blocked my ears so I didn't hear him.

While I was absorbed in my memory, a flippant young Royal had come into the room. His voice snapped me from my thoughts. "What did I miss?" Adrian asked, a broad smile on his face. I almost missed the small child standing behind him, clinging the back of his leg.

"Just Dimitri here thinks that I married Baba." Adrian smirked and looked at me.

"Oh man, you really missed the mark there."

My eyes were glued to the little girl, though. When she heard Rose's voice, she detached herself from Adrian and threw herself across the room toward Rose. "Anne! Anne!" Rose leaned forward and gathered the girl in her arms as the child rattled off in Turkish.

She gave the child a soft look I had never seen on her before as she brushed the hair out of the little girl's face. For the millionth time that night, Rose surprised me. She spoke fluently to the girl in Turkish, sounding like a native speaker.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, boy." Abe said, drawing my eyes away from the happy scene in front of me. His eyes were fixed on them, a warm expression on his face. I sank back into the chair opposite Rose without responding to Abe. Shock rippled through me as I realized what was plain as day in front of me.

Adrian sat down next to Rose, the girl between them. He tickled the child and made her giggle. A warm chorus of laughter coming from Rose's lips as she smiled at Adrian. I felt like I was going to be sick.

"That's her daughter, isn't it?" I finally asked. I didn't want to know the answer. It was easier to live in ignorance than face the pain that was threatening to rip me apart.

Abe nodded. "Perceptive as ever, I see." He was mocking me.

I studied the girl as the nausea inside of me built up. She looked so tiny sitting next to Rose, making it hard to tell her age. Her hair was long and curled down her back, the chocolate color of it accentuated by her light almond skin. She turned to look at me once and her wide brown eyes had eyed me like I did her. A pang of familiarity clutched my chest as she turned quickly back to Rose and asked her something in Turkish.

"How old is she?" Now that I knew, I couldn't ignore what was obvious. When had Rose had her? Was Adrian the father? I looked between the three on the couch, but Rose's voice answered me instead of Abe's.

"Four." She responded in English, her eyes finding mine. I swallowed heavily as I added it up. "And before you ask, Adrian isn't her father." She turned and smiled at the little girl then whispered something to her in Turkish. She hopped onto her lap and hugged her mother tightly before climbing over to Adrian.

Adrian rose with her in his arms. "I wish she was though." He said warmly as he kissed her forehead. He looked at me with a knowing smirk and opened his mouth to say something, but Rose cut him off.

"Would you mind putting her to bed Adrian? She likes your 'stories' the best." She gave him a firm look, but there was a smile on her lips when she looked at the girl. I eyed her suspiciously. Rose was blatantly hiding something from me.

Adrian wiggled his eyebrows at her and pretended to mock bow. "As you wish. I'll come back once she's asleep." As he walked past Abe, he leaned forward and kissed the girls forehead, whispering something lovingly to her in Turkish. I was amazed by the soft spot he held for the child. She giggled and smiled cheekily back at him as Adrian carried her from the room.

The happy atmosphere was almost palpable to me. The pain of losing her five years ago had only been a taste of the pain I felt now. I looked at Rose and wished she understood how I felt.

She has a child. It was the only thought swirling through my mind.

The room went quiet for a long moment. "Baba, would you mind leaving me and Guardian Belikov alone?" Rose was looking at her hands, her thumbnail scratching at her nails on the opposite hand.

Abe looked from me to his daughter, sizing up the situation. Finally, he nods. "I'll be close at hand if you need me. I'm sure Adrian could use some help with Aysa." Rose nods in response and watches him leave the room. Once the door was shut firmly behind him, I looked up at Rose intently.

I couldn't hold it back any longer. "Who is her father Rose?" I could hear the pain in my voice and from the way she flinched I knew she could too.

"That isn't important, Dimitri." She refused to look at me. I felt anger rise inside of me as I processed the girl's age again.

"The hell it isn't, Rose!" I shouted at her as I stood up. "You have a four year old daughter! That means you had to have been pregnant around the time you left the Academy." When she didn't say anything, I looked over at her. "Tell me I'm wrong, Rose." I pleaded. This was a sick joke, there's no way any of this was true.

She stared at me in surprise. She had never seen me this angry before. My fists trembled at my hips and I knew she saw the pain in my eyes. "You're jealous." What? I was thrown completely for a loop. Did she think this was a game? She leaned forward on her knees and looked at me with a crooked smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Oh Dimitri."

I knew she was baiting me, but I couldn't control how upset I was anymore. "I have nothing to be jealous of Rose." I said, deadly calm, but it built to a crescendo as I continued. "You left me five years ago without a word. The last I saw of you, you were flying off in a fucking helicopter! How could you do that to me! To us? Because of some silly fight you disappeared to the other side of the world and didn't even bother to contact me while you lived in the lap of luxury." I gestured to our surroundings.

Rose got angry and stood up, her face was set in a hard line. "You know nothing, Dimitri Belikov. You have no idea what I have been through in the last five years, or why I left. Did you ever bother to think that I left for you?"

I stepped back as she advanced toward me, her words igniting something inside me. "Why would you have left for me?"

She looked me in the eye, daring me to call her a liar. "Because they were going to revoke your status of Guardian."

I stared at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Kirova found out about our relationship and was going to file the paperwork to have your guardian status revoked if I didn't leave. What else did you expect me to do Dimitri? Let them ruin your career because of me?" Rose started to calm down though and plopped back onto the couch exhausted, her feet going under her again as she ran her hand through her hair.

"It doesn't matter though. If I had stayed at the Academy I wouldn't be where I am today. I would have gotten my Promise Mark and became Lissa's guardian. I would be travelling the world with her entourage, sure, but I wouldn't be the person who I am today."

I stared at her astonished and asked myself again: When had she gotten so mature?

"You would have been with me, though." I whispered.

My words hung in the air, our eyes locked in an unspoken memory. Rose looked away from me first, and I felt like I had been rejected again. "I can't do this right now." I turned to leave, but her voice made me pause.

"Looks like the tables have turned, Comrade." I stiffened, thankful my back was toward her. I didn't turn around to look at her as I walked out the door, slamming it behind me.

When the door to my room was closed firmly behind me, I reached out and grabbed the first object within reach, a vase, and threw it as hard as I could against the wall. I let out a primal, guttural yell as my hands closed around whatever I came across, slinging it across the room. Rose. Fucking Rose.

I was angry with her, but I was more furious with myself. If what she had said was correct, she had given up the life she should have been leading for me. To protect me. I screamed again as a lamp slammed into the wall. I was living the life she should have had. It was my fault.

There was nothing left in the room for me to destroy when I heard the door creak open. "Dimitri?" A bell like voice called from the door. I turned quickly to see Lissa in her robe standing at the door. "Are you okay?" She looked at me with concern. "I heard a commotion in here and was worried."

"You knew, didn't you?" I shouted at her. I didn't care who she was at that moment. Her fucking position wasn't what made her keep this from me. "You were two years ago with Christian, there's no way you couldn't have known! You came to see Rose, that's why you made me take leave! "

Her eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't flinch away. Instead, she slid inside and shut the door behind her so our conversation wouldn't be heard. "Dimitri." She stepped toward my shaking figure with her hands outstretched like I was a wounded animal. It pissed me off more than it should.

"No, don't touch me Lissa!" I threw me hands up and stepped back. "I can't believe you knew where she was this whole time. You watched me search and worry about her for five years and you knew exactly where she was this whole time. How could you do that to me?"

Lissa looked hurt, but I wasn't through lashing out. "I put my life on the line for you every day without question, the least you could have done was put me out of my misery and told me where the woman I loved was." My legs hit the back of a chair and I fell back into it feeling defeated.

She stepped toward me again. "Dimitri." She said softly. "I'm sorry. I really am. I've wanted to tell you everyday. There was too much on the line for you to know, though." She was about to touch my shoulder when I looked up at her spitefully.

"You mean her daughter?" I spat.

Her eyes widened again. "You know about Aysa?" An unspoken worry flashed across her face.

"Yeah, I just saw their happy family in action." The room went quiet for a moment and I looked away from Lissa.

A warm, sweet feeling rose up inside of me, wrapping around me like a cocoon.

Stop." I said. I looked at Lissa with pleading eyes. "Don't do this, Lissa."

It was too late though; darkness had seeped into my vision.

**Rose's POV**

I was still in the position I had been in when Dimitri had slammed the door on me. My head rested against my hand, trying to push the pain from around me temples as guilt and exhaustion threatened to pull me under. As if Aysa's newest attack hadn't been enough, fate had thrown me under the bus with my confrontation with Dimitri.

When the door opened, I didn't even bother to look up. I felt the couch shift to my right as a person sat down next to me. A large, warm hand rubbed my shoulder softly. "You know the only reason that boy is even standing is because you told me I couldn't touch him. I can't promise I can restrain myself if he yells at you like that again."

I looked up at my father with a sad smile on my face. "Old man, chill out. You would have done the same thing. If I recall correctly, you only took out forty-two of your rivals when you found out mom had kept me from you."

He chuckled at that. "That was a good day, but at least I didn't yell at your Mother."

I lifted one eyebrow at him. I was still thrilled about the fact I had learned how to do it. "Only because Mom would have put you on the floor."

My father shook his head and changed topics; I had struck a soft spot in his ego. "Are you alright, though? Aysa is almost asleep and it seems her recent episode hasn't caused too much damage."

"I'll be okay. Today was just…hard. I thought I was ready for it." His arm snaked around my shoulder and pulled my head against his chest.

"It'll all work out. I'll make sure of it." He said seriously. I laughed softly at my father's attempt at comfort. I still hadn't gotten used to having someone protecting me. In the five years that I had been here, Abe and I had softened up dramatically around each other. Aysa had been a big help with it, but personally, I think Abe just wanted someone he could be gentle with.

I had just closed my eyes when the door opened again. Adrian came in looking bedraggled and tired. He didn't say a word as he came and sat in the chair that Dimitri had occupied earlier. "Aysa's finally asleep." He said with as much of a smile as he could muster. I could feel the waves of darkness pouring off of him. "Is there anything else you need? There's a prime bottle of vodka with my name on it."

I smiled at him and reached out and took his hand. "No, I think you've done enough for today. Thank you, both of you. I don't think I would have made it this far without you." An unspoken moment passed between the three of us, but the sound of the door opening again broke us out of it.

God, I was popular tonight.

I sat up when I saw it was Lissa. "Are you alright?" I asked automatically, forgetting about my own worries. Lissa looked a bit shaken and I cursed myself for not paying attention when I had felt something over the bond earlier. My own worry for Aysa and pain from seeing Dimitri had made me overlook it, though.

""I take it he knows?" She asked as she came across the room, still in her robe and nightgown from whatever had pulled her out of bed.

I looked at her questioningly. That didn't sound good. "What happened?"

"Well, we're going to need new furniture in his room, and possibly everything else. I don't think there's a surface in there that isn't ruined." I groaned and dropped my head into my hands.

"So, I take it it didn't go well then?" Lissa asked gently, trying to lighten the situation.

"No, it didn't. Ugh, I now know how he felt when I went off the handle." I massaged my temples and took a deep breath. "Well, at least the Council meeting went well, or is there something else you need to tell me?"

She shook her head, her hair shaking around her thin face. "No, it went over well with most of the people in the room. Mainly the guardians, as you can imagine. The only one that really caused a problem was one of the Councilmen."

"Let me guess, Nikolai Badica?" It wasn't even a question. I knew that was who would have had an issue.

Lissa nodded. "How did you know?"

"He's been causing problems at the Ottoman Court since the Moroi Magic Act was amended. I don't feel he's a threat though, just a grown baby throwing tantrums." I replayed my earlier meeting with him that Dimitri interrupted. He had gone to hit me, but I could have easily put him down. It still gnawed at me though.

The four of us looked between each other. My father didn't say anything, but I saw him clench his fists. For the first time, I wondered if Badica was just acting out or if he was really hiding something. "Regardless," Lissa said, "What are we going to do about Dimitri. We'll be here for a while. It's only a matter of time before he puts two and two together."

"We have bigger things to worry about than the Russian's hurt ego. We need to worry about making sure Rose's induction goes smoothly, or have we learned nothing from the uprising a few years ago. It only takes a few upset Royals for things to get messy." Adrian's words were a wake up call for all of us, but I could see the darkness of spirit starting to affect his moods.

I nodded absently, my mind still on Dimitri.

I excused myself from the room a little while later, convincing them that I was just going to bed. Instead, I made my way down the residential wing until I found the room Dimitri was staying in. I put my hand on the door and took a deep breath, then pushed it open gently.

The room was just starting to light up from the afternoon sun penetrating the tinted windows. The room was thoroughly destroyed, but my eyes saw only the man asleep in the plush chair in the corner of the room. Even in his sleep, I could see the worry etching his features.

I gently pushed his hair off of his face and took him in for the first time since he had arrived in Turkey. My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I gently stroked the side of his face. "I love you." I murmured softly in Russian. "I've never stopped."

As I started to pull away, his hand reached out and cupped the back of my neck. Before I had time to react, he pulled my lips to his gently and mumbled, "My Roza," before dropping his hand.

I stepped back and covered my lips with trembling fingers. I looked down at him and realized he was still sound asleep. Without hesitation, I left the room.

When the door was closed firmly behind me, I slid down it, my trembling hand still covering my mouth. Silent tears streamed down my cheeks as I pulled my knees to my chest.


End file.
